Modi responsible for Gujarat burning, not Anandiben: Rahul Gandhi

India's Congress party vice president Rahul Gandhi gestures during an address at a farmers' rally at Ramlila ground in New Delhi April 19, 2015. To match Insight INDIA-CONGRESS/ REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee/File Photo

New Delhi: Following Anandiben Patel’s offer to resign as the Gujarat Chief Minister, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying it was his 13-year rule in the state and not his successor’s two-year governance that was responsible for the terrible condition of the state, which was now embroiled in cases of atrocities against Dalits.

“13 years of Modi rule, not 2 years of Anandiben are responsible for Gujarat burning. Sacrificing the scapegoat won’t save the BJP,” Rahul tweeted.

Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that his Gujarat’s counterpart Anandiben Patel stepped down because of the growing popularity of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state.

In a series of tweets, Kejriwal claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was terrified of the AAP.

“The resignation of Anandiben Patel is the result of the growing popularity of AAP in Gujarat. BJP is scared of the AAP in Gujarat,” he said.

Kejriwal also said that Patel’s resignation was a victory for the Aam Aadmi Party in the fight against corruption.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Ahmad Patel said Patel’s resignation is an indication of the BJP’s defeat in the upcoming Gujarat assembly polls.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has downplayed Congress party’s criticism over Patel and said that the grand old party is diminishing from the nation and the only work it now has is to find loop holes in the functioning of the saffron party.

BJP leader Rahul Sinha told ANI that Patel’s resignation is not a big issue and the party central leadership will resolve the matter soon.

The Gujarat Chief Minister yesterday submitted her resignation to the BJP top brass asserting that the saffron party needs a fresh face in the state.

Patel, who took over as Gujarat’s first woman chief minister after Narendra Modi took charge as the Prime Minister, citing age issues had in her Facebook post earlier urged the BJP to relieve her from the coveted post.

In a post on the site, she wrote, “I have been working actively with the BJP for last 30 years and I have got the opportunity to manage several responsibilities the party entrusted on me. I am fortunate to have been offered prime positions and major responsibilities by the party.”

“I consider it a privilege to manage the women’s wing of the party to eventually becoming the chief minister. The party has helped in my development. I have tried my best for result oriented governance and constantly contributed to innovations while working in various departments of the state.”

Patel said that she had two months earlier sought to resign from the party to give “enough time to the new incumbent to prepare for important events like the upcoming ‘Vibrant Gujarat Summit’.

Her government was criticised for its handling of the outrage created by the public flogging of four Dalit men by self-styled cow protection groups. (ANI)